At least 37 people have died and 30 were injured after two buses collided in Bolivia. The crash occurred early on Saturday about 5km (3 miles) from Uyuni, a city in the south-western part of the country. One of the drivers was receiving intensive care while the other was stable, according to police commander Wilson Flores.
Images from Bolivian media showed the wreckage of a badly damaged coach with its bodywork torn off and luggage scattered on the roadside.
The buses collided on the route between Uyuni and Colchani, in Bolivia’s Potosí department, due to a “lane invasion.” One of the buses was traveling to Oruro, where the Oruro Carnival, one of Latin America’s largest festivals, was taking place.
The vehicles were recovered by 10:00 local time (14:00 GMT), and the injured were taken to hospitals in both Oruro and Potosí. The identities of those who died have not been revealed, and the condition of the injured remains undetermined.
According to local media, Commander Flores stated that police were awaiting the results of alcohol tests conducted on the bus drivers.
Deadly traffic accidents are common in Bolivia. In February, more than 30 people were killed when a bus plummeted almost 800m (2625 ft) into a ravine between Potosí and Oruro. In January, another bus accident near Potosí resulted in the deaths of 19 people.
On average, around 1,400 people die in road accidents every year in Bolivia, a country with a population of approximately 12 million, according to government data.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g02qx349do
